Corsair (Yacht); World War, 1914-1918 -- Naval operations
This was a bit too much, so the battery was loaded and trained on
the buildings, while an armed guard, carrying the Stars and Stripes,
marched to both buildings. Meanwhile the captain had sent a radio
message to the authorities, demanding an instant explanation and
apology for firing on our men. This second party of ours was not
attacked and soon returned with the other men. Half an hour later we
received an official apology. Knowing nothing about all this ruction,
I had walked through the Navy Building, right between the lines, and
aboard ship. Copeland and Ashby were with me and for some reason we
were not shot at.
That about ended the trouble, as far as we were concerned, but it
looked like business for a little while, because if they had fired
on our flag we should have knocked their buildings over for sure. I
understood that our skipper sent them the message, “If you fire on
our flag we shall attack at once.”... During the afternoon the wind
and sea had been so high that most of the ships in the harbor dragged
their anchors and the French destroyer next to us had to move out
after knocking a hole in our side which probably means dry-dock again.
_January 7th._ The revolution is still on, and we are advised to keep
off the streets, more or less, as there is plenty of rifle-firing, and
when these Portuguese get excited they mistake our uniforms for their
own Navy and so take pot shots at us.... _January 8th._ Big revolution
to-day. The Army opened up with about a hundred shells on the flagship
_Vasco da Gama_, and it was lots of fun. The shells passed almost over
us and we watched the scrap. The Navy didn’t shoot back. The shrapnel
was falling fast and the ships hauled down their colors. The whole
Portuguese Navy tried to crowd aboard the _Corsair_ for protection,
but we wouldn’t stand for that. There was a good deal of machine-gun
and rifle shooting uptown all day. There was no liberty, but the
captain sent for me and five others and gave us special liberty to
go to Mme. Girard’s for tea. Had a fine time. We were warned to be
careful, as the soldiers fired at any naval uniform they happened to
see. They did not bother us, although we passed a lot of infantry
heavily armed.
[Illustration: “DOC” LAUB AGREES THAT “THIS IS THE LIFE IF YOU DON’T
WEAKEN”]
[Illustration: COXSWAIN DAVE TIBBOTT WAITS WITH THE LAUNCH]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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